How Are You Thinking About That?
Aug 12, 2025My daughter Janelle (5 years old) loves Highlights Puzzle Buzz, and it’s often one of her favorite bedtime routine “reading” materials. These fun magazines, designed for ages 4-7, bring a monthly dose of fun puzzles - some involve numbers or or counting, like this one:
At first, I didn’t expect this activity to spark any particularly noteworthy math moments. Counting up to five objects isn’t a challenge for Janelle at this point. But as I watched her work, I noticed something interesting:
She wasn’t just counting objects—she was tracking multiple counts at the same time, jumping between different groups and keeping them straight in her mind. And she did this accurately!
I was able to get a 30 second clip of her doing this, take a peek:
Multi-Counting: An Under-the-Radar Skill
Have you ever needed to keep track of multiple things at once? As a teacher, I often did—one pack of colored pencils, two markers, four copies of the day’s tasks at each table. Trying to keep all those counts in my head at the same time often overwhelmed my working memory, and I’d have to retrace my steps to double-check.
So what does this moment tell me about Janelle’s numeracy? I’m not entirely sure yet, but I suspect it means her understanding of quantities 1-5 is deepening, becoming less fragile and more flexible. She’s moving beyond just counting and into a space where numbers and tracking feel natural to her.
Your Action Step
Look for a math moment when you can ask your child about their thinking or process. Don’t worry about whether their count or answer is correct - what matters is showing them that their thought process is valuable.
This also gives you insight into what they understand, so you’ll know how to gently nudge their learning forward.
Looking for more ideas on how to sneak in a little math with your preschooler? Check out my free resource, 3 Powerful On-the-Go Early Math Activities for no-prep, fun routines you can try in the car or during snack time!
